Lazy? Ridiculous? Choke-on-Your-Tongue Hot? Jezebel Debates ‘Wuthering Heights’

Lauren Tousignant  [2:00 PM]: I am putting on Charli’s soundtrack.

Nora Biette-Timmons  [2:00 PM]: Dude, I was ABOUT to do the same.

NBT: OK, let’s start there: you’re sitting in the theater as the credits start, what are you thinking/feeling/doing? What was the vibe around you?

NBT: Ok, that was NOT the vibe in my theater lol. It was like 75% full and when the screen went black, it was totally silent for a split second and then someone let out an audible sigh.

LT: I think it’s worth noting where we watched…I saw it in a Massachusetts suburb on a Tuesday night.

LT: What was YOUR immediate reaction?

NBT: “That was ridiculous.”

LT: Jacob Elordi officially has a permanent residence in my brain. That cliff scene where he pulls her up with one arm? Which we get a tease of in the trailer, but the entire scene? I had to literally tell myself to breathe.

LT: But the nudity is interesting because that felt SO intentional to me, since they don’t even kiss in the book. Like, this was her way of preserving that element.

Maybe not preserving, paying homage? I’m not sure, but I’d actually argue it made it hotter and more Victorian-era forbidden. 

That said, my biggest takeaway is that I think she definitely could have leaned in harder to the freak. 

NBT: I needed it to be freakier. I feel like she really pulled her punches!

Because then, when it was a little bit freakier (Isabella’s sub to Heathcliff’s dom), it was so fun. I loved every scene Isabella was onscreen.

LT: Same, I’m obsessed with what Emerald did with that character. Also, Alison Oliver, lfg.

NBT: She’s also dating my no. 1 boo, Josh O’Connor. Living my dreams.

NBT: Yeah I think it could’ve used better editing, a lot of the mood-setting scenes and shots dragged, especially at the end. Like, we get it, Cathy’s heartsick (and real sick), and being a bitch.

A thought I kept having was: Margot Robbie is too pretty for this role. Cathy’s not supposed to be a regulation hottie.

LT: That’s fair, but I did love how over-the-top and bratty she was. I was mostly convinced of Cathy’s spirit.

NBT: But isn’t she even brattier in the book?? I thought, again, that should’ve been dialed up.

LT: I guess it could have.

NBT: That being said, I don’t think “it was different in the book!!!!” is a good argument against this movie. Because it’s obviously … not the book.

LT: Yeah, but he would need to be named Heathcliff.  Like it is the Healthcliff of it all. (Have I talked about Jacob Elordi yet?)

NBT: Totally. But she could do that! I just feel like by being like, well it’s not Wuthering Heights WINK, she’s trying to have her cake (name recognition = box office numbers) and eat it too (not make Wuthering Heights).

NBT: 🤝

Another strong thought I have about this movie is that people should see it IN A MOVIE THEATER.

LT: For sure, for sure.

NBT: Which set off a chain reaction.

LT: He’s so hot.

LT: Like, my brain ascended to a new level of existence, I swear.

NBT: I really understand what Margot Robbie was saying about her friends going feral for him at the screening she held.

LT: Also, the scene before the cliff one…where he covers her eyes and ears. Oh my god.

NBT: I was just zeroed in on his bicep.

LT: We said this outside of this chat, but we should just address here: Is Heathcliff white in the novel? Definitely not. Should this have been a nonwhite actor? Yes. Is Jacob Elordi not just choke-on-your-tongue hot, but also fantastic? Yes.

It’s just, it’s all true.

NBT: Yeah—I’ve been thinking a lot about how “Heathcliff isn’t white” both fits into my overall criticisms of the movie’s divergences from the book.

But also, is that just making an excuse? Idk.

But I unfortunately did really enjoy looking at Jacob Elordi for 2 hours. He looks especially good in an 1840s-ass high collar and overcoat.
More period pieces for him pls!!!!

NBT: 100% agree— except the new season of Euphoria. I do not fuck with that show.

LT: I’ll fast-forward through everything else, and just watch his scenes.

NBT: No, I totally agree.

Although I think it’s not yet 200 years.

[2 seconds pass for a Google]

Yeah, 1847. 

BUT your point stands.

LT: And while I’m on this tear…if Quentin Tarantino made a Wuthering Heights adaptation where Linton and Heathcliff just keep beating the shit out of each other, I don’t think he’d be getting as much scrutiny for not staying true to the novel.

That’s my Ted Talk on that. 

NBT: Maybe. But I also don’t think those types of counterfactuals are all that helpful tbh.

LT: Fair enough. I think male directors just aren’t forced to explain their point of view or justify their inspirations.

NBT: I think they would be if they were adapting Wuthering Heights!

But also, the best criticisms of Fennell do take in her entire oeuvre. Which we don’t have time to go into here.

How I want to end this convo is related to that point, though, if you’re ready.

LT: 🫡

NBT: 

 

LT: Annoyingly, yes.

NBT: hahahahaha

LT: Was this a perfect film? No. Did I actually mostly really love it? Yes. Is everyone TALKING about this work of art? Yes! Are we all just feral for Jacob Elordi? Mostly yes.